Chhattisgarh Maoist Attack: Local Informers Alarmed Naxals Of Large CRPF Movement, Say Sources

Chhattisgarh witnessed the worst Naxal attack in Bijapur where 22 CRPF soldiers lost their lives. Home Minister paid tribute to the martyrs in Bijapur today.

Bijapur: An overturned truck which was allegedly blown up by Maoist rebels following an encounter with the security forces personnel, at a village in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, Sunday, April, 4, 2021. (PTI Photo)

The country lost 22 jawans and 32 suffered serious injuries following an exchange of fire between forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur. One soldier is still believed to be missing in the worst Naxal attack in four years. The deadly incident was equivalent to Pulwama and the nation is still morning over the sacrifice of the soldiers.

What happened in Bijapur forests is a question lingering on everyone's mind. The operation was launched based on the intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists of PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerilla Army) Battalion No. 1 led by Hidma, a Naxal commander involved in many deadly attacks on security forces. Though the armed forces went prepared for the operation but the local informers in the Bijapur forests alerted the Maoists about huge police presence and troops.

Sources revealed that the local informers told the Naxal group about the huge movement of CRPF groups inside the forest which was a hideout for the Maoist group. The Naxals got a hint about the information which resulted in such a dastardly attack.

HM Amit Shah pays tribute to martyrs of Chhattisgarh Naxal attack

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today attended a wreath-laying ceremony in Bijapur to pay tributes to the security personnel who were martyred in the bloody gun battle. Twenty-two security personnel were killed and 31 others injured in the encounter with Naxals between Jonaguda and Tekalguda villages along the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts on Saturday night and the wee hours of Sunday.

Shah, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and other dignitaries laid the wreath on the mortal remains of the security personnel.

It is Shah's first visit to the Bastar region after assuming the charge of Union home minister, an official said.

Shah will be visiting three hospitals in Raipur where the injured personnel are admitted, following which he will leave for Delhi at 5.30 pm on Monday.

The Union home minister has vowed a befitting response to Naxals and said the battle against the extremists will be won through joint efforts of the central and state governments.

Out of the total 22 fatalities, the CRPF lost eight men, including seven commandos of the CoBRA battalion (CRPF's elite unit) and one jawan of the Bastariya battalion, eight of the other deceased were from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and six from the Special Task Force (STF), reported PTI

One jawan is still reportedly missing. 

Who Is Madvi Hidma alias Hidmanna? 

CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh, the CRPF chief said the Maoists are frustrated and troubled because of the induction of five new battalions in the Bastar region of the state recently and the creation of new bases in remote areas like Basaguda, Silger, Jagargunda, and Minpa. He said this process will be expedited to launch more serious operations against them.

Madvi Hidma alias Hidmanna, carried a bounty of Rs 40 lakh on his head. He is a homegrown Naxal who heads the first battalion of Maoists active in the Sukma-Bijapur region in south Bastar.

Hidma, in his early 30's, is spearheaded many major operations against the security forces in Bastar.

Hidma is also likely to have been behind the March 11 attack in Sukma district of Chattisgarh in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed and also in May 2013 Jeeram Valley ambush on the Congress convoy in which about 32 people including many state Congress leaders had died.

He is also believed to be behind the Dantewada ambush in April 2010 in which about 76 CRPF troopers were killed.

The worst Naxal attack to date is the 2010 strike on security forces where a total of 76 CRPF and state police personnel were killed at the Chintalnar area of Dantewada.

The troubled and sensitive Bastar region of Chhattisgarh has seen a lot of bloody battles in which several security personnel were martyred. The region comprises remote districts like Sukma, Bijapur, Kondagaon, Kanker, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Jagdalpur.

These regions have seen multiple attacks including the killing of Congress leaders like V C Shukla, Mahendra Karma at Darbha Gati in 2013. This incident saw the death of 8 CRPF personnel and 24 others.

In March of 2013, 25 CRPF personnel were gunned down in the Sukhma area and the same area saw the killing of 25 CRPF personnel near Chintagufa.

The Maoist movement dates back to 1967 when armed peasants revolted in Naxalbari and later the 'red' cadres of the CPI (Maoist) led the agitation claiming legitimate socio-economic rights for tribal and locals. 

(With PTI Inputs)